Michael
Jackson's life is on the line in front a California judge. But no matter
the outcome of his trial on child molestation charges, the gap between
how the world views Michael and how he sees himself has never been wider.
In this special, VH1 News explains how the beloved child entertainer
became such a bizarre public figure.

The answers lie in Michael
Jackson's Secret Childhood. VH1 News has examined the singer's upbringing
and found a life filled with abuse, hard labor, relentless ambition,
and conflict between his religious upbringing and growing fame. Beginning
with Jackson's birth in 1958 to the record-breaking success of his Thriller
album in 1984, the special delves deep into Jackson's past, such
as the mental and physical abuse he endured from his father, Joe Jackson
(e.g., incessant rehearsals, whippings, calling Michael "big nose");
Joe exorcised his frustrations over his own failed musical career by
exploiting his musically gifted children - especially Michael - by forcing
them to perform in seedy bars and strip joints from Indiana to Ohio.
At the same time, the proselytizing of his mother Katherine - a devout
Jehovah's Witness - confused Michael about singing, sex and family secrets.

This show opens the doors
to the Jackson family homes in Gary , Indiana and Encino , CA , to uncover
bizarre, never-before-seen home movies of Michael dancing with Emmanuel
Lewis and cavorting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. In exclusive
interviews, viewers are introduced to Michael's first "little friend"
the child actor Rodney Allen Rippey. Other interviews include former
CBS Records music mogul Walter Yetnikoff, the man responsible for Michael
pursuing a solo music career, but knew him since his childhood years
as a member of the Jackson 5, Tatiana Thumbtzen, Michael's co-star from
"The Way you Make Me Feel" video who tells her tale of unrequited
love for the shy pop star, and Teresa J. Gonsalves, a childhood pen
pal who got to see a side of Michael that very few were privileged to
see. These people, along with celebrity family therapists, biographers
and religion experts, all offer their theories about the man whose public
antics have become a national obsession.

New Video of silentlambs march in Brooklyn New York on September
27. 2002. We also now have a complete video of the "March"
one hour in length email silentlambs for information on how to purchase.
[click here]
to watch the website video.

DATELINE Correspondent John Larson spoke with victims, their families,
and former church officials. JR Brown states. "We have a very aggressive
policy on child abuse." A young sister is given death threats from her
local congregation after reporting a confessed child molester. William
H. Bowen uses term "Pedophile Paradise" for the first time to media.

Panorama
tells the harrowing story of a young woman who was molested after her
father was publicly reproved for molesting her sister three years earlier.
Governing Body member Ted Jaracz, quotes scripture as he tells the BBC
to go to hell when asked about evidence of a database of members suspected
of child abuse - many of whom have never been reported to the police.
(07/14/2002 )

The
District Convention speaker for Jehovah's Witnesses accuses the media
of demonism. A brother molests forty little boys as elders and the Branch
Overseer demonstrates effective use of theocratic warfare. (09/22/2002
)

UPDATE-
New program with new abuse interviews - Read TranscriptSpanish Translation view Video

(German
language) Watchtower
Branch in Selters was interviewed extensively for this program when
it was discovered that conclusive evidence was being presented they
withdrew their interview. A seventeen year old Jehovah's Witness is
stopped from suicide after she finds silentlambs. (02/16/2003 )

A
young man was raped by his Ministerial Servant bible study conductor
who now continues in the door to door work. A policewoman says the elders
were negligent and home office lawyers tell her it is none of her business
regarding reporting when a child is molested. (01/26/2003 )

One
of the first programs after Dateline, the German Branch Overseer stated
to the program that "I don't know of any cases of child molestation
here in Germany ." This was before he knew of the Jehovah's Witness
abuse survivors interviewed on the program. (06/16/02 )

Interview
with abuse survivors and a Watchtower spokesman that states there is
no place written where it says not to report to police after the reporter
read it to him from the Elder Manuel he had no comment. (10/12/02 )

Watchtower
takes out thousands of dollars on newspaper ads to discredit a brother
who spoke out on abuse and use the testimony of the pedophile to provide
their information, review the letter sent to the victims motherHERE.

The
Jehovah Witness website features interviews with key people in which
they state, "The policy that Jehovah's
Witnesses have on how to handle cases of child molestation is without
equal in the religious community ." The original comments are
found in the posted transcript, the video has since been changed to
stay what it does now.